Business Development Specialist - Circular Project
Sales / Marketing / Business Development / Merchandising
About the Employer
Job Description
Vacancy Announcement
Business Development Specialist
CIRCULAR Project
Duty Station: Colombo
Deadline for Applications: 18th June 2025
Project Description
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been active in Sri Lanka for over 40 years, promoting positive change and assisting sustainable development in economic development, employment, energy and the environment.
This position is part of a new “CIRCULAR – Circular Economy in the Food Sector” project commenced in Q3 2024. The project's objective is to promote circular economy approaches in Sri Lanka, with a special focus on reducing food waste and the usage of single-use plastics. The project is funded by the European Commission Delegation in Sri Lanka and partly co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
It is jointly implemented by GIZ, Expertise France and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. GIZ will assume a supporting role for CIRCULAR and run a Management Support Unit (MSU).
The Role
- SME/Startup Pipeline Development
- Identify and onboard promising startups/SMEs aligned with circular economy principles (e.g., sustainable production, waste reduction, reuse models).
- Map local ecosystems and clusters for strategic partnerships.
- Business Model Support & Refinement
- Support startups and SMEs to further develop their business models.
- Help businesses integrate ESG and circularity principles into core operations and value propositions.
- Access to Finance
- Support SMEs in identifying and accessing financing instruments (business angels, impact investors, VCs, blended finance, grants, etc.).
- Assist in making businesses in the program investment-ready, including investment-readiness diagnostics and pitch deck development.
- Partnership Building
- Facilitate linkages between startups/SMEs and potential partners such as corporates, public institutions, accelerators, and academia.
- Organize matchmaking opportunities and innovation partnerships.
- Market Access and Scaling
- Provide guidance on market entry strategies, customer segmentation, and scaling pathways for circular solutions.
- Promote integration into local and regional value chains.
- Capacity Building & Coaching
- Deliver or coordinate training on circular innovation, financial literacy, impact measurement, and sustainable operations.
- Offer tailored one-on-one coaching or peer learning facilitation.
- Monitoring & Reporting
- Track business progress using KPIs linked to both business viability and circular/environmental impact.
- Contribute to program reporting, success story documentation, and learning processes.
General
- Support in the day-to-day work of CIRCULAR and its linkages to the SAIS program.
- Support the Programme Manager of CIRCULAR in day-to-day work.
- Supporting in the selection and assessment process of start-ups and other businesses (like SMEs) to be supported in CIRCULAR.
- End-to-end contract management in the highlighted work areas for in-country contracts and support the design and management of international contracts.
- Organize events and workshops with the Event Manager and field visits, liaise with stakeholders, donors and agencies involved, and facilitate regular networking for the project-related activities.
Required qualifications, competencies, and experience:
- Bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field and a master's degree in areas such as Business Administration, Innovation Management, etc. would be preferred.
- 8+ years of professional and documented experience in the fields of business coaching, startup acceleration & project management.
- Business Development & Entrepreneurship: Solid foundation in business model design, SME lifecycle, scaling strategies, and investment readiness.
- Circular Economy & Sustainability: Familiarity with circular business models, sustainable supply chains, life cycle thinking, and ESG integration.
- Finance & Investment Readiness: Understanding of startup financing instruments, investment readiness requirements, and financial modeling basics.
- SME Ecosystems & Stakeholders: Knowledge of local and regional startup ecosystems, including incubators, investors, chambers, and policy players.
- Training in design thinking, lean startup, or impact investing would be considered strong assets.
- Excellent organizational skills, with emphasis on priorities and goal setting and the ability to think divergently and creatively. Flexibility to travel when required.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, keeping the focus on execution and delivering results consistently (project management and organizational skills).
Other knowledge, additional competencies
- Drive to get the job done, coupled with humility and a willingness to learn.
- Passionate about start-up development and business innovation, in particular.
- Undeniable entrepreneurial behaviour and attitude and a passion for innovation.
- Ability to carry out tasks with minimal amounts of direction while contributing as a good team player.
Essential Applications should include:
- Curriculum Vitae of a maximum of 3 pages (please do not include copies of certificates, testimonials, etc.)
- Cover Letter
- Details & contacts (Mobile & Email) of two referees who know your professional qualifications and work experience.
Please include “Application for the Post of Business Development Specialist - CIRCULAR” as the subject when mailing applications to [email protected]
